Ruwayda Mustafah2015-08-02T16:34:26-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=ruwayda-mustafahCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Ruwayda MustafahGood old fashioned elbow grease.Teenage Rebellion or Radicalisation of Schoolgirls in UK?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.67323262015-02-22T20:14:28-05:002015-04-24T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl, are believed to be making their way towards joining the militant group. Their families have expressed anger, and outrage following revelation of their whereabouts.

They've been dubbed as 'Jihadi brides', but they're not. They're just school-kids. They could be anyone's child, groomed into believing they're joining a utopian movement with justifiable cause. They probably have little idea of the massacres, genocidal campaigns, sexual slavery and horrific crimes of ISIS.

On the downside, if they have an idea of the massacres that ISIS launches throughout Middle East, and still want to join that movement, they're in need of some sort of therapy/rehabilitation programme.

It's hard to understand where it went wrong for them. What we're in need of, ideally, is to ensure that these children fully comprehend the realities of ISIS. Do they have any idea of what life is like under ISIS? Imagine having to live with a complete stranger that barely speaks English (or even speaks English) that has multiple sex slaves, beheads people, leads gory warfare against civilians, arbitrarily kills those who opposes their movement.

British-Muslim parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children fully comprehend the brutal realities of ISIS. Schools, universities and all institutions in UK must raise awareness about the horrific crimes of ISIS, and more importantly although the Muslim leaders in UK are not silent, they should be more proactive in challenging ISIS through religious texts to confront their barbaric practices.

...And just to put things in perspective because they're so often blown out of proportion, there are thousands of British-Muslim teenagers and kids, living normal lives, with ordinary (and sometimes extraordinary) ambitions. These incidents should not be used to propagate a false narrative of the values that stem from the British-Muslim community, but as an opportunity for our communities to promote integration, and enhance awareness about what leads to grooming, radicalisation and other societal problems of our children.

Of course bigots would have us believe that Islam as a religion is at the core of the politicised ideologies that ISIS espouses, but if we choose to accept that narrative, it would lead us to believe that the entire 1.5 billion Muslim followers worldwide pose a security threat. Similarly, we can't dismiss radicalisation in UK on grounds of lack of integration and ostracisation of minorities. These two accounts are simplistic narratives that fail to resolve the ongoing struggles of UK's British-Muslim community.

In short, perhaps the so-called "radicalisation" of these schoolchildren has more to do with being groomed, or acting out to be a rebel, as opposed to well-thought-out politicised acts. The societal/familial background contribute just as much to their actions, something that is entirely overlooked in debates surrounding the radicalisation of British Muslim youth.]]>Foreign Media Coverage of Kurdish Conflicts Must Changetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.62454462014-11-30T20:24:23-05:002015-01-30T05:59:01-05:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
Foreign and regional media outlets have extended their coverage to Kurdish affairs only when it relates to the onslaught of ISIS militiamen in Syria, which you can read about here, and gain insight into here.

These outlets completely ignore the ongoing internal issues the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) faces with Iraq's central government, currently headed by Haider al-abadi or the ongoing political suppression of pro-Kurdish parties in Turkey, increased intimidation of activists in Iran, often leading to executions, not to mention the Kurdish situation in Syria.

The media coverage of Kurds is limited, fixated on time-relevant issues, and because Kurds have largely failed to "tap" into mainstream media outlets, particularly those based in Middle East, there's abundant misinformation on issues that actually matter to them on the larger scale.

Unfortunately, the current coverage of Kurdistan focuses on an angle that media outlets like to spin - Kurdish female fighters, badass warriors waging war against a notorious terror group that want to backtrack the entire Middle East to the dark ages, where people would still use leaves as toiletries.

But here's the actual problem in Middle East for Kurdish people, lack of transparent entities that actually support the Kurdish struggle for autonomy, independence and recognition. More importantly, the lack of accountability for countries that do not necessarily extend a supporting hand to ISIS, but a blind eye to them (you can read more about that here).

If there's sufficient shame and hype within media outlets, surely that would lead to reverse policy-change because increasingly studies are showing a direct correlation between social media outlets and policy-making on a governmental and non-governmental level.

Politics aside, there's an inherent problem with how Kurdish people are portrayed in the media, subsequently perceived by political institutions. When an entire nation is laid out in sensationalist titles that bare half-arsed arguments, poorly constructed, there's an actual problem in need of rectification.]]>ISIS behead Peshmerga Fighter, Social Media Lessons From James Foleytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.57331842014-08-28T18:44:34-04:002014-10-28T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
In the video, which was posted on YouTube Thursday evening, IS militants warn that more Peshmerga fighters will be beheaded if the Kurdistan Regional Government does not end its ties with USA.

The video has emerged as Peshmerga fighters make territorial advances in the outskirts of mosul and the key strategic Batna mountain, which overlooks the city of Mosul, an ISIS stronghold.

The footage shows fourteen Peshmerga fighters in orange suites, whose fate they claim are in the hands of Kurdish officials.

You can read more about ISIS territorial advances in Iraq here, and the beheading of James Foley here, here, and here.

What was remarkably different from this beheading was the social media response, the lack of outrage, outcries, immediate international condemnation from world leaders and mainstream media attention. Could this be a lesson from the outrageous murder of James Foley, which circulated on social networking sites endlessly? Perhaps.

There is a difference between reporting ISIS atrocities and perpetuating their propaganda. When an injustice occurs, responsible news agencies should report it.

Several people have pointed out that ISIS use social media sites to facilitate a platform for their propaganda, but this does not mean a complete blackout of news pertaining to ISIS. There is a fine line between reporting news of atrocities and circulating propaganda messages from ISIS media outlets.]]>Social Networking Sites Facilitate a Platform for ISIStag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.56930482014-08-20T11:50:57-04:002014-10-20T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/here and the fall of Mosul here.

In a matter of seconds, the Islamic State's social media accounts managed to not only make headlines but ensure that every social networking platform was discussing their latest act of terror.

The video of James Foley went viral. The majority of people were outraged, angered, and felt hopeless in the face of a growing international threat. The Islamic State simply issue a statement, and it reaches every news outlet. Their fear-instilling tactics and threats are gaining momentum because people are eagerly propagating, sharing, tweeting and Facebooking their message.

IS has sympathisers globally, distributing their twisted ideology without challenge - the pamphlets of which you can find among a fringe of extremist groups in United Kingdom publicly distributed in Oxford street.

However, IS does not just rely on its sympathisers for propagating its message, but rather an increased number of people on Twitter and other social networking sites are competing with each other on a daily basis to provide the "latest breaking news" for the sake of keeping their followers. Consequently, they propagate IS fear tactics unintentionally.

The bitter truth is that we have reached a stage with IS members that gives few options. An extremist group that rejects all faiths apart from the ideology they follow, and are adamant to establish a terror state where women will be reduced to four walls, hidden from public life, where minorities are killed off unless they convert or pay tax. The problem is, even if they are left to establish their terror state, they want to expand further and recruit more extremists to join their unjustifiable ideological ambitions under the banner of their version of Islam.

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of accounts on Twitter that promote and justify killings of civilians in Iraq, as well as Kurdistan. Some of the accounts tweet in Arabic, but have a English disclaimer that says, "Not IS". Other accounts are promoting IS ideological beliefs and urging others to join IS.

I think social networking sites are responsible for ensuring that people do not promote violence or recruit for terror organisations. As a result, reporting accounts should be made easier, particularly when the accounts call on other people to take part in violent groups.]]>Extremist Groups Are Using Social Media Strategicallytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.55096802014-06-18T20:02:57-04:002014-08-18T05:59:04-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are notorious for mass-killings of civilians in Iraq. They have managed to seize Iraq's second-largest city Mosul and have vowed to take control of Baghdad. What's troubling is not just how a handful of insurgents managed to retake an entire city while the US-trained Iraqi army fled, but rather the usage of social media by ISIS to control what information is publicised about them.

In using social media efficiently, ISIS attracts sympathisers globally and maximises its amplification. Unlike previous terrorist organisations who were only given a platform by mainstream media outlets and had to adhere to mainstream media's narrative and political frameworks -- ISIS now operate in an entirely unregulated social media platform that gives them sufficient room to manipulate potential sympathisers into believing that they are fighting for a justifiable religious purpose. The danger of this is not just the attraction of potential supporters but the fact that a terror organisation could use modern technology and strategically reveal information about their activities.

There are two underlying factors which is going entirely unnoticed. The first is, ISIS wants to break down the public moral in Iraq -- further deepen sectarian tensions -- instil a sense of fear that they are mightier and stronger than the Iraqi army by using modern tools to target a younger generation. It has an impact on how the Iraqi public perceive ISIS and they are emerging as a unified stronghold of politicised social media users and even if the Iraqi army eventually manages to regain control from areas they have seized, their presence on social media is unlikely to disappear. Secondly, they are emerging as online collaborators covertly and are forging support in different countries, whether in small or big numbers. The point is, and this might seem far-fetched at first -- social media gives people the ability to unite on similar ideological and political outlets -- not bound by geographical restrictions.

Similar to other terror groups, ISIS draconian ideals that are perpetuated by all of its followers use religious justification -- misuse of Islamic religious books and out-of-context justifications are rampant on many online forums and ISIS easy access to internet are making the dissemination of these false ideals easier than ever.

Many would be forgiven for thinking that the problem is merely ISIS extremist ideals being disseminated online, but the truth is with the emergence of extremist groups using the internet for their own purposes, we will inevitably have governmental institutions attempt to control free speech and this creates a dangerous precedent (in many cases this precedent is already emerging). On one hand it justifies dictatorial regimes that have censored bloggers, activists and journalists using "national security" as a reason, and on the other hand the moral high ground is lost by respective governments on censorship within dictatorial countries.

ISIS and other groups affiliated with them are gaining a high platform on social media and this allows them to get their message across accurately -- on their own terms -- attracting sympathisers to their cause and giving them the power to act as a "unified force". The usage of social media by extremist groups on this scale is unprecedented and new. No one quite fully comprehends the consequences that will ensue from ISIS mobilisation of social media users for their cause. Regardless of whether it is journalists attempting to follow the news or not, their follower base on Twitter and Facebook continues to grow.

The Iraqi government closed down Twitter and Facebook in most areas to control the flow of information from ISIS -- ending potential collaboration between different groups. Alongside this, Twitter has closed down several ISIS accounts and continues to do this, although ISIS Twitter accounts still appear under different names.

Censorship on the internet does not create a healthy platform for any meaningful engagement but unfortunately the misuse of the powers of social media creates a problem for respective governments in dealing with terror groups. Are social networking sites justifiable in closing down ISIS affiliated accounts? Perhaps sometimes we can agree that certain groups should not be give a platform to justify mass-killings on an unprecedented scale.]]>Can Scotland Inspire Kurdish Independence? Let's Leave Iraq!tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.48777882014-02-28T20:04:20-05:002014-04-30T05:59:02-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
The disputed territories must be put to rest. For instance Kirkuk, had it not been for oil flowing under its soil no one would give it a second glimpse. This is the sad truth that many find too bitter to swallow. Historically and rightfully the Kurds claim territorial rights over Kirkuk while the Baghdad central government refuses to acknowledge this. Instead, with high hopes the Kurds were promised a referendum to put the debate to rest. We have yet to see this referendum, but instead our current tensions are about the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) oil exports without the approval of Iraqi central government, and the blockage of Kurdistan's share in the state budget.

Why should we ask the Iraqi central government's permission for exporting oil when they refuse to pay civil servants their salaries and want to block our share of the state budget? If Iraq is for all ethnicities, why are Kurds being singled out and discriminated against? The men and women who are the backbone of our social security and society face uncertainty over their salaries. I'm sure many Kurdish people share my sentiments when it comes to leaving Iraq. What has Iraq done for us? We're not better off with Iraq, we're better off without it.

I make no apologies when I wholeheartedly declare that I no longer want to be part of Iraq. It has nothing to offer the Kurdish people but misery. We have suffered under Iraqi regimes for decades, we're sick and tired of their politicians, and empty rhetoric (believe me when I say, we have plenty of that from our own politicians).

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has made little effort to mend Kurdish grievances, instead we are his puppets during elections. The more aggression he shows towards Kurdish people, the more support he is likely to receive from voters. We should stop being puppets in his orchestrated show and instead work towards independence.

What is the point of staying with Iraq when it constantly decides to punish us for political gains? The recent suspension of some flights to Kurdistan is a clear example of this. I remember speaking to the CEO of Kurdistan's Airport, Talar Faiq explained that they tread on sensitive grounds because Kurdistan does not have its own airspace, and the airspace is controlled by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority. At any time the Iraqi government can suspend all flights to Kurdistan.

Although Kurdistan will face many difficulties and struggles in becoming self-efficient, there is little doubt that sooner or later Kurdish independence will become a reality. I just hope when independence becomes a possibility our politicians and those within the Kurdistan Regional Government have made preparations to make the transition from 'autonomous region' to 'independent country' without buckling at every step of the way.]]>Can You Find Kurdistan on a Map?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.48193912014-02-19T20:24:13-05:002014-04-21T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/

This picture was taken in the outskirts of Erbil city, Kurdistan.

I was passing by a local café recently and decided to have tea with Gozleme, which is a pastry dish that is filled with various toppings and cooked over a griddle. Although I have heard about many instances of racism or animosity towards Kurdish people in London, I did not think I would become a 'victim' of such an unfortunate circumstance. The café was owned by a middle-aged Turkish man, who spontaneously asked where I was from, and I responded with "Kurdistan". He seemed surprised that I would say Kurdistan with such confidence and asked me where it was. I explained briefly that it was situated in Middle East, knowing too-well that his questions were not out of genuine interest because of the tone he used, and he later asked with mischievous smile whether I could find Kurdistan on a map.

Many Kurdish people have faced similar animosity from some Turkish people, but what really saddened me was the fact that we were both in London, a multicultural city where we should be 'coming closer' as a community to share our heritage, culture and enrich this society, yet instead this middle-aged man felt it was necessary for him to belittle my heritage and where my ancestors were from. This was not the first instance where I have experienced ignorance from those who oppose a Kurdish state or even an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey, but it was the first time that I understood that the animosity towards Kurdish people in Middle East is not just out of ignorance but probably decades of hatred that has been embedded in the mentality of the older generation (including those in diaspora).

...And to answer the question: "Can you find Kurdistan on a map?" I recall when President Jalal Talabani was asked to clarify what he meant when he referenced "Kurdistan" by a Turkish student and his response is noted below.

Deny my culture, heritage and the existence of Kurdistan but that will not cease its existence. Bring me a map and I will show you where Kurdistan is situated. And if some Turkish people insist on denying the existence of Kurdistan, their denial is in vain. This is why it is important for British-Kurds to be more active in their communities, to bridge whatever differences (politically/culturally) that exists between the Kurdish-Turkish community in United Kingdom, and open the avenues of understanding/dialogue in a multicultural society that can facilitate sufficient room for such an initiative to take place.]]>Planned Protest in London to Demand Freedom for Abdullah Ocalantag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.47775842014-02-12T20:32:50-05:002014-04-14T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/Turkey's southeast. He founded Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in 1978 as a response to the Turkish state's denial of Kurdish people, and was subsequently arrested in 1995. He was imprisoned on the Imrali Island and from 1999 until recently he was the only prisoner on the Island. Despite the restrictions placed on him, he has authored several books, and in recent times has urged his followers to become political participants in the age of diplomacy.

In spite of the concessions made towards Kurdish people in Turkey, who were once denied and are now struggling to become key political participants due to the wide scale crackdown on activists, dissidents and those who support greater recognition of Kurdish people in terms of linguistic, cultural and political rights. There is little discussion on whether Abdullah Ocalan who has been imprisoned for nearly 15 years will ever be freed.

A small number of Kurdish people in London have organised a protest 'cycling for freedom' against the Turkish government's life imprisonment of Abdullah Ocalan. Their message is clear on the Facebook page created, with over one thousands invites sent out already:

As the 15th anniversary of the abduction of our leader is approaching, we as the Kurdish youth will be cycling for freedom around London.

To get a clearer view of who Kurdish people are, and the Human rights violations in Turkey, read my previous post "Turkey's regional influence is tainted by Human rights violations". The Kurdish community in United Kingdom is quite vocal about their grievances by staging protests to challenge the political structure in Turkey on a regular basis (as well as protests against the Syrian government), unfortunately their efforts have not translated into immediate action or generated a sustainable discussion on the plausibility of a re-trial for Abdullah Ocalan or even a state sanctioned pardon.

I think the real issue is that Abdullah Ocalan, unlike other political prisoners has failed to gain public sympathy because of the ongoing media campaign against him. He is depicted as someone "feared and worshipped" although that is not the case (and in his recent letter to the Guardian he explains why, more on this here). In order to gain an international platform of recognition as a "freedom fighter", he must be given a fair platform to represent his views, and those who support him without censorship, but for the time being this seems unlikely.]]>London's Neglected Homeless Peopletag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.46908902014-01-29T18:07:06-05:002014-03-31T05:59:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/

London is one of the world's most beautiful cities and one of the most exhilarating places to live in. I was returning home from my International politics seminar, and decided to have a hot chocolate in Costa before taking a train to North London. While in queue with my cheese and mushroom toastie, a homeless man walked in and asked the barista for a cup of tea. She refused and the elderly man responded by saying "It's freezing outside, please I just want a cup of tea". It was a heartbreaking scene and the cold-hearted response from the barista was unexpected. Could giving a homeless person a cup of tea make a huge difference to the beverage giant or the Costa branch? Before I could say anything, a gentleman before me told the homeless man "It's on me, order whatever you want". The generosity of the man restored my faith in humanity. I understand that the shop did not want to set a precedent for homeless people to walk in and ask for a cup of tea but perhaps an exception could be made on that dreary and freezing evening.

This was not my first encounter with a homeless person. Recently while grocery shopping in Camden, a homeless man's placard read "Stop please and have a read, I am not a bad person, I just need your help please. Please help us" and concluded his message with "We also say no to drugs and alcohol and evil people". London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. An estimated 185,000 a year are affected by homelessness and according to a recently published report the number of homeless people in England has risen for 3 years in a row. According to the report one in 10 people could experience homelessness at one point in their life, with one in 50 having experienced it in the last five years.

Pointing the finger at governmental cuts, and shortages is not going to solve the current problem in the short term. According to Crisis, the national charity for homeless people, the causes of homelessness varies. For men it is often "relationship breakdown, substance misuse and leaving an institution". For women, some of the common causes are "physical or mental health problems and escaping a violent relationship". The best approach, at least in my opinion is to have a proactive approach to help those homeless take control of their lives and be able to afford housing, develop skills which they can use to become employed and so on.

There are many things you can do to help make an impact. Too often people want to volunteer and be part of a life-changing initiative. They presume that to help others, and make a difference in the world they must travel abroad. Consequently they neglect those in need of dire help within their constituents. Below are three things you could do that might make a difference in the life of a homeless person.

]]>The Day Baghdad-Style Killing Came to South Londontag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.33239952013-05-23T04:06:06-04:002013-07-22T05:12:02-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
This incident immediately led to several attacks on Mosques, most notably in Kent and Essex. Overnight the English Defence League (EDL) protesters clashed with riot police, chanting anti-Muslim slogans. The Muslim Council of Britain immediately issued a statement, condemning the horrific and barbaric attack on a British soldier.

One eyewitness that wished to remain anonymous explained, "I was walking my dog and heard some shouting about 50 yards from me. A man was running down the road and being chased by a car. The car then screeched to a halt and two men got out one had some kind of sword. They literally swung at the other guy's head. The armed police turned up and there were some shots. We were told to go home and now they won't let us out. We're in lockdown. There actually now seems more activity than there was before. I can hear helicopters and there are police officers with guns." (Source)

The Home Secretary Theresa May summons a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency response committee in Whitehall, to evaluate the current situation and respond adequately.

These two lone attackers are the Islamist equivalent of Anders Breivik, the Norwegian fascist terrorist. The British-Muslim community condemns their actions, and the facts behind the incident still remain murky. Who were these young men, and were they self-radicalised? If so, we must examine how they have become radicalised, which preachers (if any) are the cause of their radicalisation.

Within the Muslim community, there is a great sense of 'fear' and 'anxiety' because of this incident. Too often, an entire community is tainted by the actions of a few within it. The British government must put a lid on potential reprisals against the Muslim community, whether it is attacks on Mosques or verbal assaults by far-right groups. In instances where our country is going through a tough situation, we should stand united and not divided.

Our responsibility as British citizens is to make sure that we know the roots of such radicalisation, and the effective ways of ending it. We can only do this if we all work together, and not against each other.]]>Twenty-year-old Woman Commits Suicide in Kurdistantag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32775692013-05-15T07:16:45-04:002013-07-15T05:12:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
Not long ago, Nisaan's sister also committed suicide. And in the same village, a 26-year old woman also committed suicide this month, reports Rudaw, a local news agency.

The actual facts are unknown since very little has been revealed about these incidents, which are too often kept hushed up. The real question is what are the actual causes of suicide among women in Kurdistan, and what is the Kurdistan Regional Government doing to prevent these wide scale cases.

Throughout winter, there were numerous, in fact too many, cases of women who just happened to accidently get burned while sleeping too close to the heater, which for reasons unknown to the public tipped over the victim. Cases like these are obviously honor-tainted, but that's one side that we are not hearing, and I suspect, we won't be hearing about for some time to come.

Women organizations, and other NGOs working in Kurdistan to promote social justice, and the welfare of women seem to be in a vacuum or asleep. Perhaps it's time they overlooked their fancy names, and started to work with villagers, but maybe the summer's heat will prove to be too much for their sensitive skins.

In a visit to the villages near Kazhnazan, in the outskirts of Erbil city, I met many women with a local activist Ashna Shareff. We talked to several women, but one particular incident comes to mind. At the time we were working on a campaign (needless to say, an unsuccessful one) to start a child benefit system in Kurdistan, similar to that of Europe. One of the women who was illiterate asked us to read the campaign signature letter to her, and afterwards she signed it.

Just before leaving, one of the younger women there, who did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education also signed the petition. Her mother said, "She's 20, and still not married" which highlighted the living cycle in villages. Get married, make babies, and find suitors for them. The cycle goes on, or rather has gone on for decades now but the troubling prospect of life for many women in rural areas needs immediate attention from NGOs and governmental institutions, who have been for the most part silent.

Since returning back to Kurdistan, I have reluctantly begun to hate what they call "journalism" here. With high hopes and dreams, I returned from England, with a law degree, to work as a researcher or an academic with an interest in Human rights, but despite the job opportunities being many for people who want to work in any and every sector, journalism is one of the sectors that I was most disappointed with. It isn't just the lack of professionalism that is rampant and the nuisance of having to read poorly constructed articles on "Kurdish news sites" but it's the arrogance of writers locally.

There is no sense of real investigative journalism, perhaps because there are far too few academic disciplines available that specialise in journalism, with a key interest in what is now considered as journalism globally. That could be the case, but another is the laziness of journalists who would much rather laze around the office than getting off their royal wheel chairs and actually meeting the person they are writing about. It's all about "an anonymous source" or the irritating "confidential sources" on topics that require no anonymity.

The numerous articles written about suicides in Kurdistan exemplify my anger with local journalists. There are no concentrated efforts to give a proper and informative reports about what leads so many women to commit suicide. Cases of suicide are neglected by the media, and it will require the masses to make an exerted effort in order to raise societal outrage over the lack of investigative follow-up on these cases.]]>British MPs Officially Recognise Halabja Genocidetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27917482013-03-01T14:36:55-05:002013-05-01T05:12:01-04:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
The Parliamentary debate was scheduled on March because during this month the genocide is commemorated. British MPs adopted a 'symbolic motion' that called on the British government to recognise the mass-murder. The Halabja poisonous gas attack is known by several names, namely 'bloody friday', which took place on March 16, 1988. Chemicals weapons were used against civilians indiscriminately by the Iraqi government. The attack killed thousands of people, and injured more than 10,000.

Thousands of Kurdish civilians died of complications caused by the poisonous gas, and birth defects were reported years after the attack. The attack has been recognised as an genocidal attack against Kurdish people, and remains to be the largest chemical weapons attack by a government against its own civilians.

It is crucial to note that the Halabja genocide is different from the Anfal campaign, where Saddam Hussein and his ilk attempted to wipe Southern Kurdistan of Kurds, and Arabize it. According to Human Rights Watch, some 4,000 villages out of 4,655 were wiped out. More than 250 of these villages were attacked with chemical weapons. This includes 1,700 schools, 2,450 mosques and 27 churches during the Anfal campaign.

On March 1st of 2010, the Iraqi High Criminal Court recognised the Halabja massacre as an act of genocide. The decision was welcomed by Kurdistan Regional Government, and since then the attack has been condemned as a crime against humanity by the Parliament of Canada.

The attack lasted for nearly five hours. Photos show local children with their faces burned. Some survivors have explained that the gas smelled of sweet apples at first, and that in some instances it caused immediate death, while others coughed continuously until they died from 'burning and blistering'.

Since the Parliamentary debate, some websites have mistakenly claimed that the British Parliament has recognised the Genocide against Kurdish people. The confusion is partially due to the lack of understanding of the nature of such debates, and authority of the debates, as well as the lack of coverage given to the debate by mainstream media outlets explaining its significance.]]>Kurdish Twitter Users Use Social Media to Tell Their Storiestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.21688552012-11-20T20:53:34-05:002013-01-20T05:12:01-05:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
There are an estimated 40 Million Kurdish people, and a significant number of them have been forced into exile. For example, in Northern Kurdistan the Kurds were subject to several genocidal campaigns by the Turkish state, most notably the Dersim massacre which resulted in the brutal killing of thousands of Kurdish civilians. Elsewhere in Southern Kurdistan, the Kurds were subject to an ethnic cleansing campaign by the Saddam Hussein regime. In Iran, thousands of Kurdish activists have been imprisoned, many of them have been executed for demanding Kurdish rights. Below are snippets in the lives of several Kurdish people who took to online to share their story.

Banaz says she still remembers when her family fled under Saddam Husseim's regime, 'We drove through Mosul, and heavy automatic firing chattered for several minutes'.

My Dad left his house to go back, and check if his uncle's family were ready to leave Halabja [the Kurdish village that was ethnically cleansed and subject to a genocidal campaign by Saddam Hussein]. When he walked back he didn't find their house. The only thing he found was a piece of my grandmother's dress that she was wearing on that day.

Under the hashtag of #MyKurdishStory hundreds of Kurdish twitter users tweeted heart-aching stories of pain. Some spoke of the bravery of their parents who sacrificed their own lives, or put themselves through extreme measures to protect their children. Saladin tells a short story of how his father saved his life;

During our flight into Iran, my Father saved my life twice literally by putting his own body in harms way to protect mine.

Xoshink's family left to the mountains near Slemani in 1986. She tells a heart-wrenching story of how her youngest sister was left in the city of Slemani, and in order to visit her, she smuggled into the city with her mother, but her youngest sister was unable to recognise her.

I remember a helicopter. It was very cold, rainy, muddy, loud. The only interior left was the pilot's chair.

My father would walk for days in the freezing snowy mountains in order to get away from Saddam's soldiers. I remember at the age of 6 when Saddam's soldiers barged into my Grandma's home and took my uncle away.

In the last 6 months 3 of my family members have been executed by the Islamic republic of Iran. Two more on death row.

This idea came from a young Kurdish girl, who tweets under @Naskola. She started this idea from one tweet:

What is your story? A question that should be asked every Kurd; Even though the answer is heartbreaking, everyone has a unique tale to tell.

]]>My Life in Hewler and Londontag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.21151082012-11-11T19:48:14-05:002013-01-11T05:12:01-05:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/
For instance, when I was very little, and I remember this because I burned my socks. We had a domestic heater in Hewlêr, as did all families during winter. When mother lit the heater, the smell of burning kerosene filled the room, and I would put my feet up against the heater to warm myself up. I have burned countless socks as a child doing this, in London I eventually adjusted to central heating, although it was not as exciting.

I love the domestic heaters of the 90s, they made Hewlêr exciting for me as a child. It wasn't just the thrill I got from being a rebel by putting my feet up against them, but the countless other things I did with the domestic heaters such as heating chestnuts, and waiting for them to pop.

These cities are very precious to me because of the different memories I have while living in both of them. Unfortunately while hundreds of guides, and articles have been written about London, few have been about Hewlêr. Here are three different locations in Hewlêr that I love visiting, and if you plan on visiting Kurdistan this year, make sure you see these places!

Qelay Hewlêr

The citadel of Hewlêr is one of the world's oldest inhibited cities, it has an agglomeration of houses. This is Saya's favourite place in Hewlêr because it represents Kurdish heritage untouched, and more importantly because it hasn't been industrialised. Since 2007, a High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization (HCECR) has been established to restore the citadel.

Qeyseri: Abyrinth of narrow alleyways

The narrow alleyways opposite the citadel are just simply breathtaking. Not because the quality of clothes are rich, but because of the luxurious food that is available. Some of the shops offer authentic Kurdish delicacies, which are not found in shopping centres or supermarkets. I have become a customer at two shops there, one of them offers honey that is made in Kurdistan, and the other has delicious sweets.

Chaixana: Tea shop

In the past tea-shops were for men only. Although it was not stated that women can't enter the premises of a tea-shop, but it was like a silent rule that everyone obeyed. Recently women have opened up their own tea-shops, but some were not happy with the segregation. Now there are tea-shops for both men and women in Hewlêr without segregation, although a significant number of tea-shops still remain in the conservative cultural sphere where men visit only, but they don't exclude women. Tea-shops are fabulous, they give a great sense of Kurdish culture, and really give off that cultural warmth that many Kurds abroad miss out on.]]>How a New Generation of Kurds Can Fight: From the Mountains to Twittertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.20951962012-11-08T17:44:09-05:002013-01-08T05:12:01-05:00Ruwayda Mustafahhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruwayda-mustafah/Becoming a Kurdish activist

Twitter is like a micro-blogging social network, where within time you can network widely. It claims to have 500+ million users. Journalists and media agencies use it widely. Take the following for example:

BBC: World Have Your Say

WHYS is a Global conversation on how people are responding to news as it unfolds, whether it is political or social. You can tweet your thoughts using #WHYS as a hashtag. Although so far they have not covered the Kurdish hunger strike, they are not blind to it either. Sometimes, tweeting at a news agency does not mean it will lead to an immediate response, but the editors keep it in mind nonetheless for future segments on Kurdish people.

Al Jazeera: The Stream

The stream is the strongest out of BBC and Guardian in utilising social outlets to compose a segment. They used tweets, Facebook posts and YouTube videos on their coverage of the hunger strike by Kurdish political prisoners, you can read more about that here. Their Twitter team tends to be responsive to demands of coverage, if you feel strongly about a Kurdish topic that is going unnoticed in mainstream outlets, simply send them a message on Twitter. The more people that demand coverage, the chances of it being covered increases.

Guardian: Open News

You can help the Guardian, and inevitably shape news by speaking to their editors and reporters online. You can look at every morning's scheduled articles here, and tweet the author your thoughts if it pertains to Kurdish people, or look for open slots where Kurds can be squeezed in.

It is easy to connect to journalists and editors online, but it takes dedication to consistently do that. The level of determination shown by activists leads to results, and the increased number of young Kurdish people who are using social networks are well versed in the importance of communicating properly.

Facebooking with a purpose

Facebook has over 1 billion users, this figure alone is a great indicator of its importance. There are hundreds of Kurdish groups on Facebook, some of which are private, others are by invitation only, or open to the public. There are 'activist' groups which help organise events, spread information, and give young activists better tools on how to campaign effectively. These are the groups that help plan events, and if you can't find a group that ticks the right boxes for you, start one!

Local efforts

Media coverage alone does not resolve an issue, but they tend to help bring world focus on it. While campaigning for any Kurdish cause, make sure you don't neglect the local resources available such as writing a letter to your local Member of Parliament, attending a locally hosted conference or protest. If there are no protests, conferences or activities within your Kurdish Community Centre, be the one to start it.]]>